Cassie trudged up the stairs, her fingers grazing the chipped banister. Her mind was already drowning in irritation and exhaustion the Order meeting had stirred up. What a waste of time. No plans, no vision—just roundabout chatter. If this was the force destined to defeat Voldemort, she'd have better luck siding with a pack of wolves. At least they knew how to hunt.

From the kitchen below, Molly Weasley's voice floated up, cheerfu in a way that set Cassie's teeth on edge.

"Harry! Ron! Breakfast is ready, dears!" Molly's tone was like chocolate—too sweet, too inviting.

Cassie's steps faltered as the sound stirred an unwanted memory. For a split second, she could hear her own mother calling her to breakfast in that same tone. A laugh, soft hands fixing her hair, a warmth she hadn't felt in years. Cassie's hand tightened on the banister.

Snap out of it, she thought fiercely. That was a lifetime ago. A lifetime that no longer belonged to her.

Molly's voice cut through again, sharper this time. "Hermione Dear! Are you awake? Go wake those boys up and bring them down!"

The words were followed by the sound of her bustling around, her motherly huffs echoing up the staircase. Cassie turned the corner and froze as Molly caught sight of her.

Molly paused mid-step, Her expression softened immediately. "Cassiopeia, dear," she said gently. "Would you like some breakfast? I made plenty." Cassie's walls shot up in an instant. Her face shifted into a mask of cool indifference "I don't need anything from blood traitors like you," she spat

Molly's smile faltered, flinching ever so slightly, Cassie didn't wait for a response. She turned on her heel, her cloak sweeping behind her. She reached her room and slammed the door shut with a satisfying thud, leaning her back against it. The muffled sound of laughter and footsteps filtered through the cracks, and it grated against her nerves like nails on a chalkboard.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. "Mistress," came Kreacher's gravelly voice, muffled by the door. Cassie exhaled, forcing herself to relax. "Come in, Kreacher," she called, her tone softening just a fraction.

The door creaked open, and Kreacher shuffled in, balancing a tray of food "Breakfast for Mistress," he croaked, setting the tray on her desk 

Cassie offered him a small smile, the closest thing to gratitude she could muster. "Thanks, darling." She sat down and poked at the food absentmindedly, her appetite practically nonexistent.

Kreacher lingered by her side, watching her with something like devotion. "Oh," she said suddenly, rummaging through her robes. "I need you to deliver this." She pulled out a sealed letter and handed it to him. "Take it to Theodore.  Wait for his reply and bring it back immediately."

Kreacher's eyes gleamed as he clutched the letter to his chest. "Yes, Mistress. Kreacher will not fail."

"Good," Cassie said, leaning back in her chair. "And be quick about it.

With a sharp nod, Kreacher vanished with a crack-

Cassie stared at the empty space he'd left behind, her fingers tapping against the armrest of her chair. Her eyes drifted to the window, where sunlight filtered weakly through the grime-covered glass. Below, she could still hear the Weasleys. Their voices  filled with the kind of warmth that was as foreign to her it was infuriating.

With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the breakfast tray. It was untouched, but the aroma of freshly baked bread and warm tea tugged at her resolve. Grudgingly, she picked up a piece of toast, biting into it with a scowl. She couldn't help but wonder what Regulus was doing at that moment. Likely Reading, as he always did, holed up somewhere with his endless thoughts. The corners of her mouth twitched upward at the thought. 

Some time passed, the tray now empty except for crumbs scattered across the plate. Cassie felt the warmth of the tea settle in her chest when a sharp crack startled her out of her thoughts.

She jumped, the clatter of her plate echoing in the quiet room. Her heart raced until her eyes landed on Kreacher, who stood near the door with his usual hunched posture, clutching something in his gnarled hands.

"Kreacher," Cassie said, her tone sharp 

Kreacher's large eyes blinked up at her, "Kreacher is sorry, Mistress," he croaked, holding up an untidily folded parchment. "Kreacher got the letter, as you asked."

Cassie tilted her head, her surprise fading into mild amusement. "Well, that was fast," she muttered, taking the parchment from his hands.

The paper was a mess of scrawled handwriting, undeniably familiar. Her brows furrowed as she unfolded it, and the first line made her snort.

Hi, Cass, this is Blaise—
I'm writing this because Theo fell off his chair when your elf scared the shit out of him. Truly hilarious to see. You missed it.

Cassie snorted.

The writing abruptly shifted, as though someone had snatched the quill mid-sentence.

HEY—Hi, Cass, this is Theo.

What the fuck do you mean you're in your family home with Potter and that bitch of a father you have?! You'd better get out of there before I come and drag you out myself.

Cassie's lips twitched, and she bit back a laugh. as if he could-

Also—I haven't heard from Draco, but Blaise wrote to his mum. We're planning to go to the Muggle side for a week and "explore," whatever the hell that means. Pansy's coming, of course. Draco's mum said she'd send him along too. And you—

The next line was underlined aggressively:

YOU ARE COMING TOO. NO EXCUSES.

The signature at the bottom was obnoxiously large:

Your favorite,
Theo.

P.S. STOP SENDING YOUR ELF—HE SCARES THE FUCK OUT OF ME.

Cassie snorted, folding the letter and tossing it onto her bedside table. "Idiots," she muttered under her breath "Kreacher," she said, turning to the elf, who was still standing at attention. "Did you scare Theo?"

Kreacher's lips stretched into a toothy grin. "Kreacher did no such thing, Mistress," he said, though his tone was far from innocent.

Cassie smirked, shaking her head. "Good," she said, lying back on the bed. "He probably deserved it."

As Kreacher vanished with another crack, Cassiopeia stared at the ceiling, her mind looping over Theo's chaotic letter. A week away from these blood traitors, back with people who actually understood her, sounded like heaven. Tempting didn't even begin to cover it.

She had half a mind to go find Regulus and demand his opinion—though she doubted he'd stop her. Nothing worthwhile was happening here anyway, except endless bickering and more useless meetings.

With a sigh, she stretched her neck, trying to ease the stiffness, then leaned over to pick up the cup she'd knocked over earlier. The cold tea sloshed against the sides as she placed it back on the tray, Straightening her robes, she headed for the door, descending the creaky staircase

"...and it's getting blacker every day, it's filthy," Sirius's voice rang out at the bottom-

"Master always liked his little joke," Kreacher replied, bowing mockingly. His muttered undertone, "Master was a nasty, ungrateful swine who broke his poor mother's heart..."

"My mother didn't have a heart, Kreacher," Sirius snapped back,  "She kept herself alive out of pure spite."

Kreacher bowed again, though his muttering continued "Whatever Master says. Master is not fit to wipe slime from his mother's boots, oh, my poor Mistress, what would she say if she saw Kreacher serving him, how she hated him, what a disappointment he was..."

"I asked you what you were up to!" Sirius barked, taking a step toward the elf. "Every time you pretend to clean, you're sneaking something off to your filthy little nest so we can't throw it out."

Kreacher didn't answer, his gaze darting toward Cassiopeia as she stepped into the room. His eyes lit up, and he scurried over to her, his demeanor transforming entirely. "Mistress," he croaked, bowing so low his nose nearly touched the floor. "Mistress, this disowned brat is talking about throwing out the tapestry!"

Sirius groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Oh, here we go,"

Cassie's lips curled into a scowl as her gaze flicked to Sirius. "Throwing out the tapestry, are we?" she said, her tone mocking but sharp. "What's next, Sirius? Burning the family silver?"

"Funny," Sirius drawled,  "I don't remember Kreacher being so eager to defend me when I was still the family's golden boy."

Cassie's smirk widened, though her eyes darkened as they lingered on Sirius. "Maybe because you were never golden," she said smoothly, her voice laced with mockery. "Just tarnished silver trying to shine."

Sirius's jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. "I don't expect you to understand," he shot back. "But that tapestry represents everything rotten about this family—pureblood mania, superiority complexes, and a long history of bigotry."

"And that's what makes this line the most ancient and pureblooded family away from filth"  she said coldy glancing at the weasleys and hermione 

Sirius let out a bark of laughter, though it held no humor "Spoken like a true Black," he said, his tone scathing. "That's exactly the kind of poison this family thrived on. You sound just like her."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Cassie replied smoothly, No one is throwing out the tapestry—not while I'm the owner."

Sirius let out a harsh laugh, shaking his head. "You can't stop me."

Cassie leaned forward, her voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Try me. You don't want me to go have a little chat with your precious Dumbledore about taking the house back, do you?"

The mention of Dumbledore made Sirius's jaw tighten. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, the veins in his neck bulging. "You wouldn't dare."

 "Wouldn't I? You're not the only one with connections, Sirius. Unlike you, I actually know how to use them." Kreacher, who had been muttering to himself by the corner, stopped and turned his wide, gleaming eyes toward the pair.

Cassie's gaze shifted briefly to Kreacher, then swept the room with disdain. Her sharp eyes landed on Hermione and Ron, who were watching the argument with wide-eyed disbelief. "And while we're on the subject," she said coldly, "Kreacher Darling don't let their filth near the silver. Or the portraits."

Hermione's face turned bright red, and she opened her mouth to retort, but Ron was quicker.

"What did you just say?" Ron snapped, his face flushing with anger as he took a step toward her.

 "You heard me," Cassiopeia replied smoothly, not even bothering to look at him. "Blood traitors and mudbloods don't belong in this house. You're contaminating it just by standing here." 

 "Shut your mouth, Black," Ron growled, his fists clenching as Hermione grabbed his arm to hold him back. Ginny stepped up beside him,

Cassiopeia leaned against the wall, her arms crossed, looking almost bored  "I suggest you step back, Weasley," she said, her voice sharp "Wouldn't want to start something you can't finish."

Ron jerked forward, but Hermione's grip on his arm tightened. "Don't," she said, her voice low "She's not worth it."

Cassie's eyes flicked to Hermione, her lips curling into a cold smile. "That's rich, coming from you. A mudblood giving advice. How quaint."

"Say that again," Ron hissed, yanking his arm free from Hermione's grasp, his face blazing with fury.

Ginny stepped in front of him, "You think you're so much better than everyone else, don't you?" she snapped, "You're just a bitter, pathetic excuse for a witch."

Cassie's expression didn't waver, but her eyes darkened. "And you're nothing but a little girl playing at being brave. Tell me, Ginny—does it bother you, knowing you'll never be anything more than a footnote in someone else's story?"

Ginny's hand clenched,but  before she could speak, Harry's voice cut through the tension. "That's enough."

Cassie turned hergaze to Harry,  "And here he is," she drawled, her voice laced with venom and mockery. "The savior of the wizarding world himself. Should I bow?" She gave an exaggerated, mocking inclination of her head, her eyes never leaving his  "How does it feel? Being their little golden boy? Their shining beacon of hope?"

Harry's jaw tightened, his green eyes blazing. "I said that's enough, Black."

"Oh, you don't like hearing the truth, do you?" Cassie stepped forward, her movementslike a predator circling its prey. "You're not a savior. You're a symbol. A puppet they'll parade around until they don't need you anymore."

Harry took a step closer, his wand clutched tightly in his hand. "You don't know anything about me."

"Don't I?" Cassie's voice dropped, "I know you're just like your father. Arrogant. Reckless. Always thinking you're better than everyone else. He thought the world revolved around him, didn't he? Just like you."

"Leave James out of this," Sirius snarled, stepping forward, his face twisted with anger. "You're not fit to say his name."

Cassie's lips curled into a smirk, her expression cold and unrelenting. "Oh, of course. Saying a Muggle-lover's name doesn't suit a Black, does it?" she drawled

"Leave my dad out of this," Harry growled

Cassie laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Why? Because it hurts? Because you can't bear to hear the truth? Your father was a bully, Potter. And you're no different."

"Shut up!" Harry yelled he raised his wand, the tip sparking faintly.

"Go ahead," Cassie sneered, stepping forward Her wand was already in her hand, steady and ready. "Do it. Let's see if you've got the guts, Potter. Go ahead and curse me."

Harry's wand wavered, his knuckles whitening as he gripped it tighter. Cassie took another step toward him, her grey eyes locking onto his, daring him to act.

"What's stopping you?" she taunted,"It's not like you haven't broken rules before. But let me remind you, Potter—this is my residence. No one can trace what I do here. But you? The Ministry has eyes everywhere when it comes to you, doesn't it? Already getting expelled arent you?"

"Harry, don't!" Hermione stepped between them, her voice frantic, her hands raised as though to push them apart.

Cassie's gaze flicked to Hermione "You should stay out of this, Granger. You're not worth my time."

"You don't scare me," Hermione said, though her voice wavered slightly.

"Good," Cassie said softly, her wand trained on Hermione now. "Fear is overrated. I'd much rather see you fall apart piece by piece."

"Stop!" Sirius's voice rang out,  as he finally stepped between them. His face was tight with anger, but there was a flicker of something else—exhaustion, maybe even regret. "You've made your point. Leave it."

Cassie's eyes met his, and for a moment, it looked like she might argue. Then she lowered her wand, her smirk fading into a cold, blank expression. "Fine" straightened her shoulders. Without another word, she turned sharply and walked toward the staircase, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the hallway. The door slammed behind her with a bang

The silence stretched on for a long moment, only to be broken by Ron's voice, his words barely contained with rage. "That girl..." he started, his face flushed 

 "She's not just angry," Hermione murmured, more to herself than anyone else, "She's... scared."

"Scared?" Ron repeated, voice rising in disbelief. "She's got a hell of a way of showing it!"

Molly's voice cut through "Or she needs her father," she said, casting a reproachful glance at Sirius.

Sirius didn't respond. He simply stood thereeyes distant, his jaw clenched.

"Just clean," Molly said firmly, turning away.  "No need to remove or touch anything, no matter how morbid it is."

************

As the day dragged on, the house felt heavier with each passing hour. Cassie had locked herself away in her room, not emerging except for the occasional sound of things clattering from behind the door.

The minutes seemed to stretch into hours as the rest of the house kept a careful distance from each other, as if walking on fragile ground, afraid that any misstep would set off another argument.

Ron, Ginny, and Hermione stayed in the kitchen for most of the afternoon, but there was an awkwardness in the air, an unease that couldn't be ignored. They spoke in hushed voices, but their attempts to distract themselves felt forced. Molly moved about the house, her tasks a means to keep her mind occupied, but her eyes kept flicking toward the stairs, wondering whether Cassie would ever come down. She hadn't expected the girl to act this way, but seeing her so cold, so distant... it unsettled her in a way she couldn't quite place

The day dragged on in a suffocating silence. Sirius had locked himself in his study for most of it, but when the loneliness of the house started to gnaw at him, he turned to the bottle. It was an old habit—one that crept up on him when things got too heavy. Firewhiskey, he thought, might dull the ache for a while. alternated between brooding silence and bursts of bitter muttering. Molly had long since given up trying to reason with him, her attempts to make him face the situation only pushing him further into his shell.

She was about to speak again when the door opened with a soft creak. Remus stepped into the room, his eyes immediately catching sight of Sirius, who was leaning against the desk.  a glass in his hand, staring at the photo of James, Lily, and Harry. Remus cleared his throat before speaking.

"Sirius," he started, "You've been at this for hours. I need you to stop."

Sirius didn't even look at him. He took another swig from the glass, grimacing as the burn hit his throat. "What's it to you, Remus?" he muttered.

Remus stepped closer, t" this isn't the way."

Sirius snapped, finally turning "You don't understand, Moony. I didn't even want her here. I didn't want to be stuck fixing everything. I didn't want her in my life, and now look—everything's a damn mess!"

Remus stiffened. "You didn't want her? You think that's going to make it better? You abandoned her, Sirius."

Sirius's eyes flared with anger. "What do you want me to do? I couldn't be her father, could I? I didn't have a choice in this."

Remus was shaking his head now, disbelief etched across his face. "That's the excuse you're using? 'I didn't have a choice?' You think I don't know how hard it is? But you left her, Sirius. She was abandoned by the one person who could've helped her. You're acting like you're the victim here."

Sirius's voice was low and venomous. "Maybe I am.  Maybe I didn't want her—didn't need her—after everything that happened."

s. "You're being a coward. Cassiopeia doesn't deserve this. You're treating her like she's some kind of burden. Like she's not worth your time. You've pushed her away for so long, and now you're just going to let her spiral down further?"

 "I didn't want her to begin with!" He slammed the glass down onto the table, making it shudder. "But now? Now she's a constant reminder of everything I hate of how much I failed. She hates me. She's better off without me."

"That's not true," Remus replied sharply, . "She's not the one who's abandoned, Sirius. You are."

Sirius was seething . "I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask to be her father, I didn't ask for any of it!"

Remus clenched his fists, trying to keep his voice steady. "Sirius, listen to me. You can't keep running from this. I've seen her at Hogwarts. I've seen what's been happening to her. She's not just angry. She's hurting. If you keep pushing her away, it's not just a few fights or tantrums. It's dangerous, Sirius."

Sirius scoffed, pouring himself another glass of firewhiskey, his eyes narrowed "Dangerous? What's dangerous? She's just a spoiled brat, throwing fits because she didn't get everything she wanted."

"No. It's not that simple. Cassiopeia isn't like that. She's already teetering on the edge, and if you think ignoring her is the answer, you're going to push her right into the dark side. And you'll have no one to blame but yourself."

Sirius flinched, but didn't show it. "I've never wanted her to be anything like- them. She can make her own choices."

"I've taught her, Sirius," Remus replied,  "I've seen the potential in her, . If you're going to keep pretending like she doesn't matter, you'll regret it. The dark side is seductive. You know that"

"I'm not the reason she's like this," he muttered, almost as if trying to convince himself.

Remus's eyes flashed with anger. "You are the reason, Sirius! You don't get to run away from this. You're part of her family, whether you like it or not. You've seen what happens when family members are torn apart—when there's no one left to hold them together. You don't want to be the one who pushes her further down that path, do you?"

Sirius's face turned pale . He took a long, shaky breath, but still refused to look at Remus. "I didn't ask for this," he repeated, his voice hollow.

 "No one asked for it, Sirius. But you have to be better than this. For her. For yourself. You can't let her walk the same path that so many of Your family have. You can't let her fall."

Sirius went silent, gripping the glass so tightly that his knuckles turned white. For a moment, it looked like he might collapse . But instead, he stood there, brooding, unwilling to admit anything.

Remus shook his head, turning toward the door. "You've got one chance left, Sirius. Don't make the same mistake you made with Regulus-"

Remus turned toward Molly, "Molly, can you call her for dinner? Please. We need her to come down."

Molly hesitated but nodded.. She turned toward the staircase and left the room 

Sirius stood still, watching the door Molly had just left through. Remus's words echoed in his mind, but there was no softness in his gaze. His features were set in a mask of  anger, and perhaps, even fear—a fear he refused to admit.

Remus watched him for a moment, "Sirius... Pads... Please. Don't make this worse."

Sirius blinked, his eyes narrowing slightly, though his face remained impassive. He didn't know if he had even heard Remus. There was no acknowledgment, no shift in his expression. Instead, he simply stood there, staring at the floor, his thoughts clearly miles away.

Remus didn't wait for a response. He turned his back on Sirius, knowing that there was nothing more to be said. If Sirius didn't act, if he continued down this path, Remus wasn't sure there was a way back.

"Just... do the right thing, mate," Remus muttered to himself as he set off toward the door.

Sirius stayed where he was, his body stiff, He didn't hear Remus's footsteps as they faded away; he didn't even notice when the crack of Apparition sounded behind him, signaling Remus's departure.


*************************************

Cassiopeia had spent most of the day locked in her room, flicking through a dusty old runes book with little interest, the pages blurring as she barely registered the words. She'd been throwing daggers at the wall for a while, watching them sink into the wood, then yank them out, the sharp thunk of steel cutting through the silence. It was a day of moping—fuming, too, but mostly moping.

She didn't care about it anymore. She'd leave tonight, no matter what. She was sure they wouldn't mess with the house again. That was all she came here for in the first place. Now that she had what she needed, she could leave, get out of here, and start preparing for the trip Theo had been talking about. Away from this—away from him.

But then she heard Molly's voice, calling from downstairs.

"Cassiopeia, dear. Dinner is ready."

She sighed,  The last thing she wanted to do was face the confrontation. But she knew better than to ignore it. If she didn't go down, they'd only make it worse. They'd assume they'd won.

Her mind flashed back to Sirius's words earlier. . The idea of him getting the satisfaction of thinking he had driven her away... she couldn't let that happen. No. If tonight was going to be her last night here, she wouldn't let him—any of them—believe they chased her away

Cassie slowly got up, pulling her robe tighter around her as she moved across the room, the dagger and wand tucked securely in her pockets. Her bags were already packed, sitting on the bed in case she ended up leaving immediately after. She wasn't about to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her react to their petty drama.

She opened the door, hesitating for a moment, the sounds of muffled voices below rising through the floor. Sirius's gruff voice, slurring slightly as though he'd been drinking, and Molly's murmurs, trying to calm him down. Her jaw clenched. She didn't care. None of them mattered anymore.

Stepping lightly onto the stairs, her feet barely making a sound, she descended into the quiet hallway. The house was strangely still, like it was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. She could feel it.  As she reached the bottom of the stairs, the voices became clearer. Sirius's tone was low, but there was an undeniable edge in it. Molly's soft murmur followed, too quiet for Cassie to make out, but she could hear th frustration in it. Cassiopeia's hands tightened around the railing as she stepped forward

With one last deep breath, she stepped into the hallway, The moment she crossed the threshold into the dining room, she didn't flinch. She didn't let her gaze waver. 

Her eyes flickered toward the table, where everyone had already gathered. Sirius, looking as miserable as she felt, leaned back in his chair, a glass of something dark in his hand. His gaze flicked over to her, but there was no warmth in his eyes—only the same cold disdain she had come to expect.

Molly immediately stood up from her seat, the frown on her face softening just a bit as she saw Cassie. "Cassiopeia, dear, I'm so glad you decided to join us," she said, her voice hopeful 

Cassie gave her a curt nod, her gaze sweeping across the room briefly before landing on Sirius. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression unreadable.

"Not hungry," she muttered

Kreacher immediately stepped forward,  "Mistress ,please have a little, your plate is ready," he said, directing her toward the head of the table with a twitch of his skeletal hand.

Cassie nodded stiffly, forcing herself to walk toward the table. She sat down, her posture rigid as she picked up her fork, 

"Well, well," Sirius's voice cut through the stillness, slurred from the alcohol. "The prodigal Black returns. What an unexpected delight." He sneered,  "Should we all rise for the great heiress of this hellhole?"

Cassie's jaw tightened, but she kept her face neutral, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her crack.  "Sirius," she said coolly, her voice smooth like silk as she inclined her head in a mockery of politeness,  "How kind of you to notice."

"Don't let us keep you," Sirius added,  "I'm sure you have far more important things to do. Polishing the silver, perhaps? Guarding the tapestry from all us filthy blood traitors?"

"Grow up," Cassie snapped

"Must be nice," Sirius's voice cut through the room again, louder this time, "Being so above it all. Sitting there like the rest of us don't exist. Just like dear old Walburga."

Cassie's hand twitched under the table, her nails digging into her palm. She looked up slowly, her gaze locking onto his with a cold fury that could freeze the air. She leaned back slightly, steadying herself. The last thing she needed was to let him get under her skin. again.

"Are you done?" she asked, her voice chillingly calm.

Sirius tilted his head, pretending to think about it for a moment. The sneer on his face deepened,"Not quite," he drawled,  "But I'm getting there."

Cassie's breath caught in her throat. She fought the urge to leap across the table and shut him up once and for all, but she held it together, her control barely keeping the rage at bay. Instead, she kept it in check, shoveling her food into her mouth as quickly as she could, ignoring the occasional mutters around her.

The plate soon emptied, and one by one, the others began to file out. Molly seemed relieved at the lack of a scene, but Cassie knew Sirius wasn't done yet. 

Cassie stood, pushing her chair back with a swift motion, her hand resting on the doorframe as she made her way toward the exit. She didn't even glance at Sirius, determined to leave the tension behind her.

"Leaving already?" Sirius's voice called out slurred

Cassie's hand tightened around the door handle, but she didn't respond, keeping her back to him.

"Pretty cowardly of you, don't you think?" Sirius scoffed, He stood up, swaying slightly, his movements increasingly unsteady 

Cassie's lips curled into a tight smile, her back still to him. "You're the one to speak about cowardice?" she scoffed, turning her head just enough "Was I the one who ran away from family at sixteen? Then again when you had a kid?"

"You think I ran away because it was easy?" Sirius said, his voice rising. "Do you have any idea what it was like living under that roof? With her?" He jabbed a finger toward the faded portrait of Walburga, her shrill voice thankfully silent for the moment.

"I can imagine," Cassie said flatly. "But you know what's funny? For all your talk about escaping her, you've done nothing but wallow in her shadow. You hate this house, but you won't leave it. You hate this family, but you can't stop obsessing over it. Face it, Sirius. You're just as chained to this place as Kreacher is."

Sirius's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. "You don't know me," he growled. "You think you're so much better, don't you? Sitting there, pretending you're above it all. But you're just like the rest of them. Arrogant. Self-righteous. A carbon copy of that bastard adopted father of yours—"

"Don't."

Cassie's voice was low, dangerous, and it cut through Sirius's rant like a blade. For the first time through the night, her mask of composure cracked, and the fury beneath it was unmistakable.

"Don't you dare speak about him," 

"Why not?" Sirius shot back, his words slurring even from the firewhisky. "Pierre—or whatever he calls himself—only took you in because it suited him. You're a Black. A name. That's all you are to him. Do you honestly think he cares about you?"

"He cares about me more than you ever did!" she shouted, her voice breaking for the first time.

Sirius took a step closer,  "I am trying to care about you, Cassiopeia. But you make it impossible! You're cruel, manipulative, and so consumed by your obsession with blood purity that you can't see the damage it's done to this family!"

"You're not my family!" she snarled

The words hit Sirius like a physical blow. He faltered for a moment, . "I am your family," he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. "Whether you like it or not."

Cassie's laugh was sharp and bitter. "You're not my family. Pierre is-"

The room went deadly silent. Even Kreacher, who had been lurking in the corner, seemed to freeze, his wide eyes darting between them.

"Is that what you think?" Sirius said,"That you're some kind of savior for this family? Do you really think they'd have cared about you if they'd lived? You're just another cog in their machine. Pierre didn't take you in because he cared—he did it for the money, the inheritance, the bloody legacy."

Her eyes darkened, and her voice dropped, venom dripping from every syllable. "Say that again."

"I said—" Sirius began, but Cassie cut him off, her wand snapping into her hand with a speed that made the others flinch.

"You don't know anything about him," she hissed "About what he's done for me. He's a better father than you could ever hope to be."

"I'm not your father!" he roared, stepping toward her. "And thank Merlin for that. Because if I was, I'd be ashamed to call you my daughter."

"Don't worry," Cassie shot back, her voice like ice. "The feeling's mutual. You're not a father. You're a disgrace- a coward-"

Sirius's wand was in his hand before anyone could react, his face twisted in anger. "You little—"

The spell was faster than anyone anticipated. A jet of light grazed Cassie's cheek, leaving a thin line of blood in its wake. She didn't flinch. Instead, she stared at him, her expression eerily calm as a single drop of blood trailed down her face.

"Cassiopeia!" Molly gasped, rushing forward, but Cassie raised her hand to stop her, her wand still trained on Sirius.

"You want to fight me?" she said, her voice trembling with fury. "Fine. Let's do it. Let's see if you've got the guts to actually face me."

"Stop it, both of you!" Molly's voice rang out as she moved to step between them, but Cassie flicked her wand, and Molly's own wand flew out of her hand, landing with a clatter on the floor.

"Don't interfere," Cassie said coldly, her wand still trained on Sirius. "This is between me and him."

Arthur rose, his own wand in hand now, but Cassie didn't so much as glance at him. "Don't even think about it," she warned. "Unless you want to join in."

Sirius was breathing heavily, his wand still raised. "Don't do this," he said hoarsely. "You don't want to go down this road."

"I'm already on it," she said coldly.

Before anyone could move, Kreacher disappeared with a loud crack.

A jet of gold light shot from her wand, streaking through the air.  Sirius, his reflexes slower than usual, managed to block it with a weak flick of his wand, but the spell hit his shield awkwardly, making him stagger back. His drunkenness clearly impaired his aim, his movements jerky and off-balance.

"You're a joke," Cassie hissed, a dangerous grin crossing her face as she prepared to strike again.

Sirius's eyes narrowed, his face flushed with a mixture of rage and alcohol. He aimed his wand at her, but it was clear his stance wobbly. "I'll show you who's a joke," he growled, and a burst of red light shot from his wand aimed poorly but towards her cassie blocked it. She smirked, unfazed by the weak attempt, her other hand already reaching for the dagger hidden at her side. The dagger's hilt was cool in her hand, its weight familiar, but she didn't draw it fully. Not yet. There was something much more satisfying in knowing that she had the upper hand.

She raised her wand once more, this time without hesitation. A bolt of silver light shot through the air, aimed directly at him. Sirius barely managed to block it, the shield charm flickering weakly before it dissipated,

Molly's voice rang out from the side, panic in her words. "Stop it, both of you! Sirius, she's your daughter, for Merlin's sake!"

Cassie didn't even flinch at the word. It didn't feel real, not anymore. The years of neglect, the lies, the betrayal—it was all too much. It didn't matter that the word came from Molly's mouth, it didn't change the truth of what Sirius had done.

Sirius's voice was a cruel snarl that cracked through the air. "She is NOT my daughter!"

Cassie's grip tightened around her wand, her anger flooding her chest, but before she could say anything, before she could drive the last nail in, a deafening bang echoed through the room. The door to Grimmauld Place was thrown open, the sound so jarring that it stopped everyone in their tracks.

"Intruder," someone muttered, tension rising in the air.

"Star!" A gruff voice called from the doorway, its tone rough, yet undeniably concerned.

Cassie's heart skipped a beat. Her breath caught in her throat, and the world seemed to slow around her. There was a name, a single word, that she couldn't escape from her mind.  Her skin went cold. Her face drained of color. "No," she whispered under her breath, dread pooling in her stomach. No, no, no...

Her instincts screamed at her to move, to do anything to stop what was coming. But it was too late. She didn't even think. Her body was already moving, her legs carrying her toward the entrance with an urgency that bordered on panic.She reached the door just as a tall figure stepped into the room. Cloaked in black, their face obscured by the deep hood of their robes, they moved with an eerie calmness.

Cassie's breath hitched in her throat, her heart hammering in her chest. Kreacher, she thought frantically. That's where he went to...

"Fuck no," she whispered, the words slipping out before she could stop them. "What are you doing here?" she hissed, her voice low but frantic. She stopped just short of reaching the figure, her eyes darting to Sirius and the others. Everyone was watching, their faces a mix of confusion and suspicion.

Cassie turned back to the hooded figure, panic etched into her features. "Dad, please don't," she begged, her voice trembling. "You can't... you can't reveal yourself. Not here. Not now."

The figure didn't move, didn't speak Just looked, noticing the cut on her cheek, a crimson streak running down her skin. The figure's eyes narrowed, and a growl rumbled deep from within their chest. "He did that?"

 Her eyes flickered briefly to Sirius, his expression twisted with drunkeness, but before she could register anything more, the figure took a step forward.

"Cassiopeia," Sirius said sharply, his wand still raised, though his hand trembled slightly. "Who the fuck is that?"

"None of your business," Cassie snapped without turning around. Her voice was a sharp contrast to the desperation in her face.

But Sirius wasn't backing down. "If you think I'm going to let some hooded stranger waltz in here and—"

"I said it's none of your business!" she shouted, spinning around to face him. Her hands balled into fists at her sides, and for a moment, it looked like she might charge at him.

"Cassie—" Harry started, but she cut him off with a glare so venomous that he immediately shut his mouth.

The figure finally moved, raising a hand to the hood.

"No!" Cassie yelled, whipping back around. She stepped in front of him, her arms outstretched as if to shield him from the others. "Don't do it," she pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please. If they see you—"

"Step aside, Cassie" the figure said, his voice low and firm.

Cassie's breath hitched. She shook her head, her wild curls bouncing with the movement. "No, dad please-" she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't understand. If you do this—"

"I said, step aside," he repeated, more forcefully this time.

 "Don't," she whispered "Please. Don't."

The figure took a step forward, their posture tense, "Look around, Cassiopeia," they said, their tone dripping with disdain. "Do you think they'll march out of here and tell the world? Even if they did, who's going to believe them?"

Cassie's heart thundered in her chest. She wasn't convinced. 

The figure's hand slowly rose to the hood of their cloak, fingers brushing the fabric before pulling it back in one smooth motion. The room seemed to hold its breath as the hood fell away, revealing the face beneath.

Sirius's face drained of color. The blood drained from his cheeks as though he had seen a ghost. His mouth moved, but no words came out—just a strangled, broken sound, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

It was him.

Regulus.

************************

AHAHHAHAHA---- YEA- SO SRRY ABT THE CLIFFHANGER- BUT- COME ON TEH CHAP HAD BECOME TOO- TOO- LONG- ALSO I PULLED AN ALLNIGHTER WRITING THIS - SO EXCUSE IF TEH EDITING SEEMS CHOPPY-

OK--- FIRST CAN WE TALK ABT MOLLY'S MOTHERLY INTINCTS SPARKING FOR CASSIE- TAHTS ADORABLE- OMGS

ANDG S

NOT GONNA SAY MUCH- COS IM SLEEP DEPRIVED BUT- FEEDBACK!! AND HOW DO U THINK THIS BLACK BROTEHRS REUNION WUD BE!!!

till next time-

MXRIDDLE